Omnichannel retail has evolved to include artificial intelligence and agentic agents, but stores still need to focus on customer experiences and brand loyalty in order to drive traffic, executives from Ulta, Stitch Fix and other companies said during a Wednesday panel at the CommerceNext Growth Show in New York.

In order to meet consumers where they are, retailers need to understand how consumers are shopping, said Kimberly Shenk, CEO of marketing technology firm Novi, during a panel covering the future of omnichannel retail. “Most consumers are shifting discovery to agents, agentic platforms, ChatGPT, Gemini,” she said, adding that as a result, brand identity has to be consistent across every touchpoint.

Learn how top executives are reshaping customer experience with AI and omnichannel strategies in this CCW Digital–backed research report. Retail is at a crossroads: with customer expectations at an all time high, the stakes for customer experience (CX) and brand loyalty have never been greater. Elevating Retail Customer Experience (CX) & Brand Strategy is an exclusive executive research report (2025) based on a survey of global retail leaders across customer experience, operations, IT, digital strategy, and marketing — spanning senior managers to C-level executives at companies of all sizes. CCW Digital–Sutherland 2025.

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Furniture retail is entering a pivotal year. Tariffs, sluggish demand, and rising content costs are putting pressure on margins. Discounting alone won’t move buyers in 2026 — trust and visual clarity will. Photorealistic visualization, real-time configuration, and AI-generated content are now primary conversion levers. The brands gaining share are turning PDPs into digital showrooms: rotating products, configuring options instantly, and placing furniture in real spaces through AR.

Attracting and retaining consumer attention has never been more challenging. Technology has changed rapidly over the last few decades, giving rise to new communication methods and consumer expectations for instant gratification. As AI becomes more business-critical and digital fatigue heightens among consumers, retailers’ AI roadmaps must present value to shoppers, address their priorities and foster loyalty long-term.

Effortless communication is the backbone of today’s leading businesses, especially in industries like e-commerce and retail. Customers expect quick, personalized interactions that fit their needs and, more importantly, their preferences and busy schedules. That’s where omnichannel messaging comes in—a game-changer for businesses looking to nurture meaningful customer relationships, solve queries faster, and deliver exceptional experiences across all touchpoints.

Are your customer loyalty programs over-reliant on incentivisation to drive engagement? Do loyalty members lose interest over time, disengage, or jump ship to competitor brands faster than you can say “Black Friday flash sale?” It may be time to breathe new life into your loyalty efforts. If it’s fresh inspiration you’re after, this guide is a great place to start.

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Whether you’re looking to re-engage inactive customers, drive more conversions, or optimize your omnichannel approach, this Playbook gives you the strategies and step-by-step guidance to make it happen. Inside, you’ll find real-world use cases to help you: